Why Court Ordered Senate To Recall Natasha From Suspension

DDM NEWS

Senator Natasha

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Senate to immediately recall Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, representing Kogi Central Senatorial District, following her six-month suspension.

Senator Natasha was suspended in March 2025 after petitioning the Senate Committee on Ethics, alleging sexual harassment and abuse of office by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The committee found her conduct disreputable and recommended a full suspension.

Justice Binta Nyako ruled that the suspension was excessive, unjust, and unconstitutional.

The court found that neither the Senate Standing Orders nor the Legislative Houses (Powers and Privileges) Act specifies a suspension duration, making the six-month penalty legally groundless.

The court deemed the suspension excessive and disproportionate, emphasizing that it deprived the senator’s constituents of their right to representation.

Justice Nyako stated that the suspension lacked clear legal backing, as the Senate’s disciplinary powers must not infringe on constituents’ rights or violate fair legislative process.

The court ruled that the Senate acted beyond its powers, and the suspension was a breach of constitutional rights.

The Senate is mandated to reinstate Senator Natasha, allowing her to resume her legislative duties without delay.

The court’s decision sets a precedent for future cases involving legislative powers and disciplinary actions against lawmakers.

The ruling emphasizes the importance of representation and the rights of constituents, ensuring that lawmakers are held accountable for their actions.

The court’s decision has been hailed as a significant victory for Senator Natasha and her constituents.

The ruling is seen as a check on the legislative powers, ensuring that disciplinary actions are fair and proportionate.

Another report corroborates that, stating thus: “Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Nigerian Senate to recall the suspended lawmaker representing Kogi Central, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan.

It states that Justice Nyako, while delivering judgement on Friday, stated that Natasha’s six-month suspension was excessive.

She faulted the provision of Chapter 8 of the Senate Standing Rules as well as section 14 of the Legislative Houses, Powers & Privileges Act, declaring both as overreaching, stressing that the two legislations failed to specify the maximum period that a serving lawmaker could be suspended from office.

Justice Nyako stated that since lawmakers have a total of 181 days to sit in every legislative circle, the six-month suspension handed to Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan was akin to pushing her away from her responsibilities to her constituents for about 180 days.

The court held that though the Senate has the power to punish any of its members who err, such sanction must not be excessive to deprive the constituents of their right to be represented.

The court ruled that the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, was not wrong to have denied the plaintiff who was not on the official seat that was allotted to her, the opportunity to speak during plenary.

She dismissed Akpabio’s contention that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the suit which he said bordered on an internal affair of the Senate”, the report stated.

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